Article Cost of living – how and where to find help if you need it

Many of us are still feeling financial pressure as everyday costs change. From energy prices to food bills, your expenses might have gone up – making it harder to save for the future or enjoy the things that matter to you now.

Whether you're feeling under pressure or just want a bit of guidance with managing your money and pension, here are some places you can turn to for support. As everyone's circumstances are different, some of these resources could be more relevant to you than others:

1. Where to find help with my energy bills
2. How to manage my food costs
3. Finding support with my pension
4. Tips for budgeting
5. Other resources

Help and support and change, so it's worth checking the latest information. What we've shared here is correct at the time of writing.

Where to find help with my energy bills

The current energy price cap for a typical household is around £1,641 per year for gas and electricity when paying by direct debit. However, this is due to rise by 13.5% to £1,862 per year on 1 July 2026.¹

The price cap is reviewed every three months, so what you pay can go up or down depending on wider energy costs and market conditions.² It's worth checking your tariff from time to time and speaking to your supplier if you're finding it difficult to keep up with payments. There might be a cheaper tariff you can switch to, and/or in some cases financial support or repayment plans to make things more manageable.

If you'd like a bit more support, there are other places you can turn to as well.

Fuelbank Foundation

If your home has a pre-payment meter and you’re worried about being able to top it up, the Fuelbank Foundation could be an option. They provide emergency funding to households identified as being in a fuel crisis. On their website, you’ll also find more tips and guidance including their 3 big things that make a difference.

Energy Saving Trust  

The Energy Saving Trust is an independent profit for purpose organisation working to address the climate emergency. They run various campaigns to help people save money on their energy bills. Plus, try their warm home hacks to heat up your home on a budget. There’s specific information based on which region in the UK and Northern Ireland you live too.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice is a national charity that offers confidential advice. Their dedicated energy supply webpage features lots of information, for example if you’re struggling to pay your bills or if you’re having problems with them. They also summarise grants and benefits that are available to help cover your energy bills.

2. How to manage my food costs?

Food prices can change for lots of reasons like global events, supply challenges, conflicts, and changing demands. Food prices continue to put pressure on household budgets. Recent data shows food inflation has fallen to around 3% recently, however, this figure is subject to regular change due to global economic situations.³

Even though price increases have slowed, many households are still feeling the impact when doing the weekly shop. You might be able to save money on your food bills by making a few small changes. Here are some sources you may find useful.

Supermarket price comparisons with Which?

Every month, Which? do a price comparison analysis to find out what the cheapest supermarket in the UK is.

Research by Which? found that shopping at a convenience store (for example a Tesco express or Sainsbury’s local) can be up to 11 to 14% more expensive than shopping at a regular store of the same brand.⁴ For some people, it’s a no-brainer to go to the regular supermarket. However, if you live far away from a big store, consider if it’s worth the extra time, effort and cost of travelling further. You might find that it doesn’t make much of a difference.

Love Food Hate Waste

Love Food Hate Waste is a charity committed to reducing food waste and making the most of your food at home. Their How do I? guides give insight into how you can make the most of, and get the greatest value out of the food you buy – saving you time, money and waste.

Grab a deal with Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is an app where you can buy bags of food from local shops and restaurants that would have otherwise gone to landfill. The only catch is you don’t know what food you’ll receive, but you’ll know the shop you’re buying from.

Depending on what food you get, you could freeze some items for later use to save some money.

Local food banks

For those most in need, you may be able to claim vouchers to use at your local food bank. Access to a food bank requires a referral, usually from a care professional such as a health visitor, a social worker or school staff. With a voucher you can collect a parcel of nutritious, non-perishable food to last at least three days.

The Trussell Trust is a well-known organisation with food banks across the UK. You can find your nearest location on their Find a food bank page, along with other guidance.

3. Finding support with my pension

A higher cost of living may have impacted how much you’ve been able to save. And you may be wondering whether the amount in your pension is enough to last throughout retirement. Experts at the Retirement Living Standards have estimated that a single person will need £13,400 a year to live a minimum lifestyle in retirement. They’ll need £31,700 a year to live a moderate lifestyle and £43,900 to live a comfortable lifestyle in retirement.⁵

These figures give a general guide and will vary depending on your lifestyle and circumstances. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week, adding up to around £12,548 a year, which is designed to provide a foundation rather than cover all retirement costs.⁶

It’s completely normal to have questions about whether you’re saving enough. If you’d like a bit more support with your pension, here are some pages and organisations to check out.

Our Money Tips hub

Our Money Tips hub has lots of articles with hints and tips to help you get better with money – and be more confident with your money and pension. 

Or, you could head to our Money:Mindshift hub, our financial wellbeing service – helping you balance what’s in your bank with what’s on your mind. Full of useful articles and even a podcast led by our resident financial wellbeing pro Dr Thomas Mathar, to help meet you where you are.

MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is a government-backed, free and impartial guidance service for money and pensions. They have free resources you can use to support you with your long-term savings, as well as on topics such as benefits, housing and family and care.

If you’re considering getting financial advice, you can also find an adviser through MoneyHelper’s website. Please note that there’s usually a cost for speaking to a financial adviser.

Pension Wise

Pension Wise, a service from MoneyHelper, is a government service for people over the age of 50. They offer free, impartial pensions guidance on your pension options. You can book a free appointment if you meet the eligible age. A pensions specialist will explain how each withdrawal option works – and point out some other things you might need to think about. The appointments are designed to empower you to make informed decisions about taking money from your pension pots.

4. Tips for budgeting

If your outgoing costs have gone up, it may be useful to revisit your budget and what you spend money on. A simple budget review could identify where you can save a little more each month. Try to keep your goals achievable by dividing them into short, medium and long term. Regularly review your progress against each, so you can make any necessary adjustments as you progress.

It’s still important to do the things that bring you joy and purpose, even if you’re cutting down on costs. Our article Finding joy in living well within your means might give you some ideas on how to do the things you enjoy most with a smaller budget.

5. Other resources

• Cost of living support – you can find out more on GOV.UK about what help is available if you’re 60 and over, disabled or have a health condition and childcare and maternity costs. You can also find mental health support too.
• Contact your local council – your local council may have schemes available to you, such as support with energy and water bills, food and essential items. Some councils may offer food vouchers during school holidays.
• Entitled To – calculator showing what benefits you might qualify for.

We’re also here to support you during uncertain times. If you’re concerned about the impact of the cost of living crisis, or market volatility, our dedicated Cost of living hub contains articles and resources to help you.

Be on the lookout for scams

You could receive calls, messages or emails from scammers claiming to be from a government service or energy bill support scheme. Don’t give out any personal details or information. Check our online security and fraud protection page for more tips on how to help keep yourself safe.